The origins of Thai desserts lie in the worship and ceremony, with each ingredient bearing its own symbolic meaning. While these might now be lost, the intricacy of their design and freshness of the ingredients can still be savoured.
[ Notes from the dessert section of the cookbook AT THE TABLE OF JIM THOMPSON by William 'Bill' Warren, friend and biographer of the legendary Thai silk king, Jim Thompson. ]
Along with the Spicy Beef Curry that I experimented on a fews ago is a popular Thai dessert that looks and tastes similar to our very own native dessert, the kakanin — the biko in particular. The custard topping is also similar to our very own leche flan.
Kakanin in the Philippines is mainly a rice based-dessert (the malagkit or glutinous variety) or sweet concoction usually cooked in coconut milk. The term kakanin is derived from its main ingredient and the root word kanin (rice) as a noun, or kanin (to eat) as a verb. With the addition of the prefix ka, the kakanin becomes a term to describe the variety of rice-based recipes meant to be eaten as snacks or desserts.
Like its Thai counterpart, the kakanin of the Filipinos is also associated with the old-fashioned and the traditional. Usually made only on special occasions, the kakanin was also used as offering to the gods in ancient customs and religious practices. With its 7,000 or so islands, the Philippines boasts of a variety of kakanin recipe depending on the location. The kakanin used to be eaten only as a snack or dessert to celebrate harvest in the country but the ever-evolving food culture of the Filipinos has elevated the kakanin to new heights and can now be cooked by anyone at any given time.
Here’s the recipe . . .
GLUTINOUS RICE CAKE IN COCONUT MILK | Khao Niao Nah Sang Kha-Ya
Rice Cake Ingredients:
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup (60g / 2-1/8 oz) sugar
1 cup (250 ml / 8-1/2 fl oz) coconut milk
1 cup (180 g / 6-3/8 oz) steamed glutinous rice
Custard Ingredients:
1 cup (250 ml / 8-1/2 fl oz) coconut milk
1 tsp rice flour
1 cup (20 g / 7 oz) palm sugar
1 tbsp coconut cream
1 banana or pandan leaf
4 eggs
Method for Rice Cake:
Dissolve the salt and sugar in the coconut milk and pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve.
Bring it to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, then remove from heat and set aside.
Place the steamed glutinous rice in a bowl and pour in the coconut milk. Stir for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Method for Custard:
To prepare the custard, use a banana or pandan leaf to beat the coconut milk, palm sugar and eggs together. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, then pour it into a heat proof mould.
Steam for 25 to 30 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside to cool. When cooled, slice custard in small squares.
Form the glutinous rice into golf ball-sized shape (as in above photo) and place on serving platter. Place sliced custard on the glutinous rice and top with coconut cream to serve.
Above: My own version of the Khao Niao Nah Sang Kha-Ya.
Notes:
I tweaked the method for the rice cake by proceeding to cook it the way we cook our biko — that is to boil the coconut milk, salt, and sugar in a kawali (wok) and stir in steamed (half-cooked preferably) glutinous rice (malagkit), cook until well blended and right consistency achieved — not mushy/soggy, but whole and firm. As you can see in the photo above, it is obvious that I have pre-cooked the malagkit a bit longer than I should. Tee hee! This method also requires a great deal of ‘arm power’ because of the constant stirring so the mixture does not scorch and stick on to the wok.
With modern invention and the availability of heavy bottomed non-stick (teflon coated aluminum or tefal) pots, I still prefer to cook biko the traditional way — in a wok as my late lola would. For one, it gives you a generous space to stir the mixture, and two, it is easier to monitor the consistency specially when one is already ‘visibility-challenged’ . . . tee hee!
However, in forming the rice cake balls, I had to use a modern gadget, an ice cream scoop, to make the process easier, faster, and to achieve a consistent size for the rice cake balls. It is always advisable to lightly brush with oil the insides of the scoop to prevent rice from sticking and jamming the scoop.
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